Have you found yourself admiring any construction you see maybe while working or travelling? Has that in any way propelled your desire to study construction management? Have you heard anyone asking how hard is a construction management degree?
These are questions that erode the mind of many people are either push them away from studying construction management or make them want to study it.
In determining how hard or otherwise construction management degree is, many have tried to compare construction management with engineering.
This is why we are going to start this article by examining what construction management is and the relationship it has with engineering if any.
What Is A Construction Management Degree?
A degree in construction management is one that certifies that a student has acquired the relevant skills that is needed to understand and carry out on-site tasks for a construction project.
Construction management simply refers to the ability of an individual to understand and carry out basic responsibilities on a construction project.
These responsibilities spread over different headings that include the effective management of budget and expenses needed for a construction project.
It also includes the ability to collaborate with other stakeholders like civil engineers, architects, and lawyers.
As a person with a construction management degree, you are expected to constantly update clients on the developments of a project and changes that need to be made.
You are also expected to address issues around payment of worker’s salaries, ensuring safety at work, and effective time management. You will also oversee the activities of subcontractors form hiring and supervising the, to making sure they are being paid.
Construction Management and Engineering
Many people who ask – how hard is a construction management degree – do so comparing it to engineering. Engineering and construction management are two broad fields that share a lot of similarities and differences as well.
Though they are similar in that they deal with the process of construction, they require different levels of professional training. What is the major difference that exists between the field of engineering and construction management?
Engineering deals with everything that has to do with the infrastructural set-up of a project while construction management deals with activities that go on at the site of a construction project.
The tasks of an engineer with regards to a construction project include planning the project, sorting out legal documents, preparing the budget, and making sure every material needed is available.
A construction manager, on the other hand, brings in hands-on experience to the project. He/she is expected to be on-site to ensure that materials provided by the engineer are effectively used in carrying out the task.
Such a person is also expected to transform the designs that have been presented by the engineer into a physical structure.
From the above, you will discover that while engineering and construction management differ by scope, they are not mutually exclusive.
These two fields, though requiring different professional training, work to complement each other. There will not be a successful construction project if one of these two positions is lacking.
What Are The Admission Requirements For A Construction Management Degree?
To answer the question – how hard is a construction management degree – let us examine the basic requirements that are needed to earn this degree. To start with, you need to note that there are no fixed requirements for studying construction management.
The requirements vary from one study programme to another and from one university to another. However, some requirements cut across all the different programs that are available when applying and that’s what we will be examining.
For a Bachelor’s programme in construction management, you will need:
- A minimum score of 6.0 in IELTS and 60-90 in TOEFL
- Comprehensive academic transcripts
- A GPA score that varies from one university to another
- A CV or Resume and a cover letter
For a Master’s programme in construction management, you will need:
- A minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS and 80-90 in TOEFL
- A Bachelor degree in civil or construction engineering or other related fields
- Comprehensive academic transcripts
- A GPA score that varies from one university to another
- A CV or Resume and a cover letter
How Long Does A Construction Management Degree Take?
The time of study can also be another factor that makes people think a construction management degree is hard. So, the question we will be answering in this section is how long does it take to get a construction management degree?
The time you are going to spend getting a construction management degree depends on the programme you are opting for. If you are looking to applying for a Bachelor’s degree in Europe, for example, it will take 3 years while in North America it takes 4 years.
For a Master’s programme, it may take you 2 years to complete the course and earn your degree.
5 Major Factors to Consider Before Getting a Construction Management Degree
To be sure you are making the right decision in chasing a construction management degree, there are basic considerations that you must make.
These considerations are what will determine whether getting the degree will be hard for you or not. There are several of these considerations, but the 5 most important ones are:
- Is getting a construction management degree necessary?
- Do you have the financial capacity to bear the costs that come with getting a construction management degree?
- Are you ready to subject yourself to the deep research required to succeed in this course?
- Are there any experiences you’ve gotten in the area of construction management through internship or volunteering?
- Are you fully aware of the responsibilities of a construction manager and are you ready to take on them?
Conclusion
Providing a direct answer to the question – how hard is a construction management degree – can be very difficult because it is very relative.
However, with the information provided above and the major considerations to make, you can determine whether or not is hard and if you are ready to take on the challenge.
If after making all the considerations above you are certain you are ready for it, then you will not find it as hard as someone who isn’t fully ready for it.